Musalsal Rokti Hoon

Musalsal rokti hoon us ko shehr-e-dil mein aanay se
Magar vo kohkan rukta nahin deevaar dhaanay se
kohkan = mountaineer, dhaana = to destroy

(I always try to stop him from entering my heart. I keep on building high barriers but he keeps on destroying them, implying he always finds a way to get to my heart)

Bhala kiya dukh ke aangan mein sulagti larkiyaan jaanain
Kaheen chuptay hain aansu aanchalon mein chupaanay se

(These innocent girls don't realize that tears can't be hidden, no matter how much you try to wipe them off with your 'aanchal')

Abhi to fasl taaza hai hamaaray harf-o-maani ki
Abhi dartay nahin hum mausamon ke aanay jaanay se

(Background: When crops are grown, weather plays a crucial role as to how much fruit will be reaped. But when the crop is at its full bloom, it can withstand the test of seasons.
The sher means that right now, my words are fresh, I've recently uttered them. I can stand by them because I have all my strength intact to protect them)

Abhi to ishq mein aankhain bujhi hain dil salaamat hai
Zameenain baanjh hoti hain kabhi faslain jalaanay se
Baanjh = barren; unable to produce

(Background: When farmers need to start growing a new crop but have limited land resources, they empty another field by burning that fruit's plants. But sometimes in doing so, the topsoil gets damaged and the land becomes barren.
The sher means that right now, although love has lit its fire inside of me, it hasn't damaged me. The only loss I've suffered is that I've cried too much. But I still have my spirit safe. This fire could've destroyed everything, just like when they burn crops, thay permanently damage the land and then nothing good can ever come out of it)

Mujhay tanha muhabbat ka yeh dariya paar karna hai
Nadaamat ho gee us ke hoslon ko aazmaanay se

(I have to find my own destiny in the journey of love. If I ask my 'mehboob' to join me, he'd refuse and I'd be ashamed of falling in love with a coward)

Humain kis zarf ke kirdaar kay qissay sunaata hai
Tujhay aye sheher hum bhi jaantay hain ik zamaanay se
zarf = capacity (to do good deeds, to be good), kirdaar = character

(Don't lecture me about the goodness of the inhabitants of this city. I've known them for quite some time. I have judged them and I know they're not as righteous as you're making them out to be)

Tujhay bhi zabt-e-gham ke shauq ne patthar bana daala
Tujhay aye dil bohat roka tha rasm-o-raah nibhaanay se
zabt = self control, rasm-o-raah = societal norms

(This is where the true psychologist in me shines out!
The poet is talking to herself here. She's angry at herself for fulfilling certain norms/responsibilities of relationships: friendship, love, being human, etc. When we try to repress out emotions and keep things bottled up, a stage comes where we feel numb. We almost become unable to feel anything at that point, hence the word 'patthar' (stone) is used as a metaphor - devoid of all emotions and sentiments. The head told the heart not to become too involved but her heart chose a different path than her head, rendering her incapable of feelings now. She got hurt very badly)

~Noshi Gilani

Yeh Jo Raig-e-Dasht-e-Firaaq Hai

Yeh jo raig-e-dasht-e-firaaq hai, yeh rukay agar
Yeh rukay agar to nishaa.n milay, yeh nishaa.n milay
Keh jo faaslon ki saleeb hai
Ye gari hui hai kahaan kahaan
Mere aasmaa.n se kidhar gayee tere iltefaat ki kehkashaan
Mere bekhabar, mere benishaa.n
Ye rukay agar to pata chalay
Main tha kis nagar, tu raha kahaan
Keh zaman-o-makaa.n ki vus'atain
Tujhay dekhnay ko taras gayeen
Vo meray naseeb ki barishain
Kisi aur chatt pe baras gayeen
Meray chaar soo hai vo gubhaar-e-jaa.n, vo fishaar-e-jaa.n
Keh khabar nahin meray haath ko meray haath ki
Mere khaab se teray baam tak
Teri rehguzar ka to zikr kia
Nahin zaufishaan tera naam tak
Hain dhuaan dhuaan meray usthakhvan
Meray aansuon mein bujhay huay meray ustakhvan
Meray naqsha gar, meray naqsha jaa.n

Isi raig-e-dasht-e-firaaq mein rahay muntazir teray muntazir
Meray khaab jin ke fishaar mein
Rahi meray haal se bekhabar
Teri rehguzar
Teri rehguzar ke jo naqsh hai meray haath per
Magar is bala ki hai teergi
Keh khabar nahin meray haath ko meray haath ki
Vo jo chashm-e-sho’bida saaz thi vo uthay agar
Mere ustakhvan mein ho raushni
Usi aik lamha-e-deed mein teri rehguzar
Meri teera jaa.n mein chamak uthay
Meray khaab say tere baam tak
Sabhi manzaron mein damak uthay
Usi aik pal mein ho jaavidaa.n
Meri arzoo ke hai be-karaa.n
Meri zindagi ke hai mukhtasar
Yeh jo raig-e-dasht-e-firaaq hai, yeh rukay agar

~Amjad Islam Amjad

Dasht-e-Hijraa.n Mein Na Saaya Na Sada

Dasht-e-hijraa.n mein na saaya na sada teray baad
Kitnay tanha hain teray aabla-pa teray baad

Koi peghaam na dildaar-e-nava teray baad
Khaak uraati hui guzri hai saba teray baad

Lab pe ik harf-e-talab tha na raha teray baad
Dil mein taaseer ki khahish na dua teray baad

Aks-o-aaina mein ab rabt ho kiya teray baad
Hum to phirtay hain khud apnay se khafa teray baad

Dhoop aariz ki na zulfon ki ghata teray baad
Hijr ki rut hai keh habs ki fiza teray baad

Liye phirti hai sar-e-koo-e-jafa teray baad
Parcham-e-tar garebaa.n ko hava teray baad

Perahan apna na salamat na qaba teray baad
Bus vahi hum hain vahi sehra ki rida teray baad

Nikhat-o-ney hai na dast-e-qaza teray baad
Shaakh-e-jaa.n per koi ghuncha na khila teray baad

Dil na mehtaab se ujla na jala teray baad
Aik jugnu tha chup chaap bujha teray baad

Dard seenay mein hua nauha-sara teray baad
Dil ki dharkan hai ke maatam ki sada teray baad

Kaun se rango.n ke bhanvar kesi hina teray baad
Apna khoon meri hatheli pe saja teray baad

Tujh se bichra to murjha ke hava-burd hua
Kaun deta mujhay khilnay ki dua teray baad

Aik hum hain ke be barg-o-nava teray baad
Varna aabaad hai sab khalq-e-Khuda teray baad

Aik qayaamat ki kharaashain meray chehray pe sajeen
Aik mehshar meray andar se utha teray baad

Aye falak-e-naaz meri khaak nishaani teri
Main ne matti pe tera naam likha teray baad

Tu ke simta to rag-e-jaa.n ki hadon mein simta
Main ke bikhra to sameta na gaya teray baad

Ye alag baat hai ke afshaa.n na hua tu varna
Main ne kitna tujhay mehsoos kiya teray baad

Milnay vaalay kayee mafhoom pehen ker aaye
Koi chehra bhi na aankhon ne parha teray baad

Bujhay jaatay hain khad-o-khaal manaazir afaq
Phelta jaata hai khaahish ka khala teray baad

Meri dukhti hui aankhon se gavaahi lena
Main ne socha tujhay apnay se siva teray baad

Seh liya dil ne teray baad malaamat ka azaab
Varna chubhti hai rag-e-jaa.n mein hava teray baad

Jaan-e-Mohsin mera haasil yehi mubham satrain
Sher kehnay ka hunar bhool gaya teray baad

~Mohsin Naqvi